A blocking pattern over the eastern Pacific Ocean maintains a dry pattern across our region. The ridge axis extends from the near-shore waters into southern British Columbia with NNE flow aloft over our region. At ridgelines, most NWAC stations have very light NW winds. Mountain temperatures start the day chilly in the upper 10s and low 20s and should rebound into the upper 20s and low 30s in most locations by the afternoon. Most areas will experience sunny weather, but a band of showers might bring a dusting of snow to parts of the Olympics this morning if it holds together.
A very upper-level weak shortwave moves down the Canadian Rockies late tonight into Wednesday morning. It could stir up the atmosphere enough that the northerly low-level flow behind it touches off some very light upslope snowfall for the northern edge of the Olympics. This feature exits by the afternoon, leaving the region mostly sunny and dry. Temperatures remain slightly below normal for this time of year.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
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Tuesday
Partly cloudy in the morning with a chance of a snow shower, then becoming mostly sunny.
Tuesday
Night
Very light upslope snowfall developing with a dusting to an inch of snow.
Tuesday
Thin mid-level clouds in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny.
Tuesday
Night
Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of snow flurries.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny with low cloud possible below 4000 ft.
Tuesday
Night
Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of snow flurries.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny with some low cloud below 4000 ft.
Tuesday
Night
Partly cloudy with a chance of snow flurries.
Tuesday
Partly cloudy with low cloud possible below around 4000 ft. Light ridgeline and variable wind at the Pass.
Tuesday
Night
Partly cloudy with a chance of snow flurries. Light ridgeline and variable wind at the Pass.
Tuesday
Partly cloudy with low cloud possible below around 4000 ft. Light ridgeline and variable wind at the Pass.
Tuesday
Night
Partly cloudy with a chance of snow flurries. Light ridgeline and variable wind at the Pass.
Tuesday
Partly cloudy with mid-level clouds in the morning then becoming mostly sunny.
Tuesday
Night
Partly to mostly cloudy.
Tuesday
Partly cloudy with mid-level clouds in the morning then becoming mostly sunny.
The NWAC program is administered by the USDA-Forest Service and operates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Seattle. NWAC services are made possible by important collaboration and support from a wide variety of federal, state and private cooperators.
The 5000’ temperature forecast does not imply a trend over the 12 hr period and only represents the max and min temperatures within a 12 hr period in the zone. The 6-hr snow level forecast, the forecast discussion, and weather forecast sections may add detail regarding temperature trends.
The snow level forecast represents the general snow level over a 6 hr time period. Freezing levels are forecast when precipitation is not expected.
*Easterly or offshore flow is highlighted with an asterisk when we expect relatively cool east winds in the major Cascade Passes. Easterly flow will often lead to temperature inversions and is a key variable for forecasting precipitation type in the Cascade Passes. Strong easterly flow events can affect terrain on a more regional scale.
Ridgeline winds are the average wind speed and direction over a 6 hr time period.
The wind forecast represents an elevation range instead of a single elevation slice. The elevation range overlaps with the near and above treeline elevation bands in the avalanche forecast and differs per zone.
Wind direction indicates the direction the wind originates or comes from on the 16-point compass rose.
Water Equivalent (WE) is the liquid water equivalent of all precipitation types; rain, snow, ice pellets, etc., forecast to the hundredth of an inch at specific locations. To use WE as a proxy for snowfall amounts, start with a snow to water ratio of 10:1 (10 inches of snow = 1 inch WE). Temperatures at or near freezing will generally have a lower ratio (heavy wet snow) and very cold temperatures can have a much higher ratio (dry fluffy snow).